This weekend in Bloomington: roller skating with drag queens, folk music, and dino fossils
Indiana may still be making up its mind weather-wise, but with the turn of the spring equinox, it's the perfect time to set new things in motion. Whether you're dusting off your old roller skates, exploring fossils, or adding some new books to your collection, this weekend in Bloomington offers plenty of opportunities to break out of the winter doldrums and into something new.
Skate with drag queens at Western Skateland
Slide into the weekend early with a groovy, pride-themed roller-skating night at Western Skateland on Thursday featuring a DJ set from DJ Axiptor and local drag queens Desiree Bouvier and Nexus Queen. Western Skateland is located at 930 W 17th St. 18+ event. Event begins at 9 p.m. Entry is $5, and roller skate rentals are an additional $5.
Catch a twangy folk-rock set at the Bishop
Budding folk-rock group Briscoe will bring their relaxed, folksy tunes influenced by their home state of Texas to The Bishop Bar on Friday. With their debut album "West of It All," produced by Grammy-nominated producer Brad Cook (who’s worked with the likes of Bon Iver and Waxahatchee), Briscoe captures the tumult of growing up and staking out life alone through free-wheeling banjo and soulful harmonies.
The Bishop Bar is located at 123 S Walnut St. 18+ event. Doors open at 8 p.m., and the show begins at 9. Tickets can be purchased for $17 at the door, or in advance for $15 online at thebishopbar.com/events.
Browse books and brews at WonderLab’s Boozy Book Fair
We all remember the buzz of excitement from book fair days in elementary school. Relive that excitement (and enjoy a different kind of buzz) with this joint event between WonderLab and Morgenstern Books on Saturday, which will feature drinks from Upland Brewing Company, a selection of books tailored to adults, and a wide range of speakers and activities.
Learn about how ink is made and test your calligraphy with artist and scientist Elizabeth Hebbard, explore the process of paper making with local artist Mary Uthuppuru and flex your creative side at a poetry writing circle. WonderLab is located at 308 W 4th St. 21+ event. Event begins at 6 p.m. Tickets are $10 and can be purchased at the door or online at https://64603.blackbaudhosting.com/64603/Boozy-Book-Fair.
Dig into dino history at Indiana Geological and Water Survey Learning Lab
Learn about prehistoric history, fossil care and the wild world when dinosaurs roamed the Earth at the IGWS’ first Dino Day this Saturday. Practice fossil preparation, explore real fossils and hunt for candy-filled dino eggs at the Learning Lab. The Learning Lab is located at 1001 E 10th St. Event begins at 11 a.m. Free event, with free parking at the IU Forrest Avenue Garage.
Learn the story of an incredible civil rights leader at the Monroe County History Center
The latest from Bloomington-based Resilience Productions, Remarkable Women: Pauli Murray explores the legacy of visionary legal scholar and Episcopal priest Pauli Murray. The film explores the story of the trailblazing civil rights and gender equality activist who was instrumental in the landmark Brown v. Board of Education Supreme Court Case. Monroe County History Center is located at 202 E. Sixth St. Showtimes will be 6 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, with a 3 p.m. matinee on Sunday. Tickets are $20, free for children under 10, at www.monroehistory.org/resilience-productions/.
See two local stars take center stage at the Bus-Chum
Two young, local stars – pop singer-songwriter Lenox Monroe and Bloomington native alt-folk artist Copeland James – will show off their musical chops at a show at the historic Buskirk-Chumley theater on Monday. Indianapolis native and Jacobs School-trained singer songwriter Lenox Monroe sings tongue-in-cheek, bouncy pop songs that harken back to the sounds of Olivia Rodrigo and Taylor Swift, while Copeland James writes with lyrical candor that channels the likes of Regina Spektor and Imogen Heap. The two will join together for a night of music presented by WFHB, with $1 from each ticket supporting Girls Rock Bloomington. The event will also be broadcast on WFHB. The Buskirk-Chumley is located at 114 E Kirkwood Ave. Event begins at 7 p.m. Tickets are $10 and can be purchased at the door or in advance at www.buskirkchumley.org/event.
Reach Brian Rosenzweig at brian@heraldt.com.
This article originally appeared on The Herald-Times: Things to do this weekend in Bloomington adult Morgenstern book fair
